September 11, 2001 brought FDNY Deputy Chief John Paolillo's name, along with 342 other fire fighters, into the public spotlight but September 11, 2001 did not define John Paolillo. A Brooklyn born boy in 1950 John's values began to take shape within his close knit family.
John's brother Joe recalls how he and John, while growing up in Brooklyn, often took early morning jogs under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. It was during one of those jogs that the boys noticed a car crashing into a divider on the Belt Parkway. Joe recounts how John flew into action. Without a word John was on the scene prying open the crumpled car's door. He pulled the driver out of the car and directed traffic away from the accident. That incident of concern, courage, leadership and heroism was to be a preview of the man John was to become.
John moved out of his family home, where he shared a room with his younger brother Joseph, shortly after graduating from Saint Steven's High School in 1968. At that time John was working at an advertising firm in Manhattan.
In 1977 John joined the FDNY and rose quickly through the ranks. Joe is reminded of the long nights, over four years, John spent studying for the Lieutenant's test. His studying paid off when after taking the test he missed only 2 questions and was promoted to Lieutenant in the mid 1980s. It wasn't long after that he obtained the rank of Captain and Battalion Chief. He also was a teacher for International Association of Fire Fighters and Task Force Leader for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Although John was very dedicated and serious about his profession and career he had a lighter side too. To his fire fighting comrades John came to be warmly and playfully known as "The Moose". It was a nickname that stuck and offered John and his crew a bit of comic relief as well as a way for the guys to express their appreciation for John. To John the brave men and women he worked with weren't co-workers they were part of his family.
As a family man John was very dedicated to his family. Josephine Paolillo, Joe's wife, recalls how after a 24 hour shift John would take his kids to soccer and then offer to babysit for her. John was an avid athlete and active member of the Glen Head community. He was a loving father, brother, son, uncle, and a friend to all.
John and Joe were close and often spent time together living only 3 blocks apart in Glen Head, NY. The Sunday prior to September 11, 2001 was no different. What was different was on that day John, who was usually direct and on purpose, seemed to hang on, linger and was unusually chatty. "It seemed like he was dragging me on with small talk," Joe said. "It was like he didn't want to let me go." On September 11 Battalion Chief John Paolillo and his Aide, Steve Modica arrived at Special Operations Command headquarters on Roosevelt Island as usual. After taking care of some business the two proceeded onto the Grand Central Parkway to attend a drill in Brooklyn when the alarm for the fire at the World Trade Center was received. They arrived at the World Trade Center just minutes before the second plane hit Tower Two. Their orders from the command post was to help where they could. They were accending the stairs of Tower One passing other fire fighters and police who had received evacuation orders and were on their way down. The building shook as Tower Two collapsed. John was directing everyone to drop everything and get out of the building. Steve made it out of Tower One however John did not.
Joe wanted to do something that would remind people of his brother and what happen to him so the John Paolillo Memorial Scholarship Fund was established. So many people wanted to send flowers or something in memory of John. Donations to the Scholarship Fund in lieu of flowers or other considerations was suggested. By June 2002 there were enough contributions to award the first scholarship award. Joe and Josephine Paolillo, neighbors and friends organized Run For Heroes to establish a yearly event to honor John and provide sustaining funds for continuing yearly scholarship awards
Did You Give It Your All?
The run slogan "Did you give it you all?" came easily. Once while running together Joe told John that he thought he could have done better. To which John responded "Did you give it your all? That's all you can ask of yourself" That quote, "Did you give it your all?", has become the defining slogan for the Run For Heroes. It stands for John's commitment to everything he did.
In August 2003 the Town of Oyster Bay proclaimed in part:
"On September 11, 2001 John Paolillo, a Battalion Chief in the Special Operations Command Center of the New York City Fire Department, died in the line of duty when the North Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed. John was a devoted family man, avid athlete, active participant in the North Shore community, and, mostly, a friend to all. Selflessly dedicated to helping others, John always asked himself and others: 'Did you give it your all?' To all who knew him, John Paolillo was a hero long before September 11."
The proclamation also designated the second Saturday in September as Battalion Chief John Paolillo Day. The town made special designations and installed signs on two roads on the run course. Ram's Hill, a road rising from Scudders Lane to Grove Street, in sight of the Glenwood Firehouse, will now also be known as Heroes Hill. The sign at the top of the hill can be seen from the firehouse. This naming honors all who have served and sacrificed and acknowledges our local firehouse. Two points on a half- mile hill of Glenwood Road have been marked as John's Ladder. The street where Chief Paolillo lived, Roslyn Drive, is now signed and known as Battalion Chief John Paolillo Way.
